For the fourth year in a row, the San Diego Convention Center Corporation (SDCCC) was named a Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) honoree. This is the seventh time the SDCCC has been a WRAP Award recipient since earning its first one in 1998. The environmentally-friendly facility received the WRAP Award in 1998, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010 and now in 2011.
“CalRecycle was the first eco-conscious organization to recognize the San Diego Convention Center’s commitment to significantly reducing the impact our facility and events have on the environment,” said Brad Gessner, SDCCC general manager. “In fact, the WRAP Award given to us 13 years ago by CalRecycle for our waste reduction efforts was one of the first awards bestowed on our facility for our conservation efforts. Today, we are proud to say that our sustainable business practices have earned us more than a dozen state, local and industry awards over the last five years.
“At the heart of our green efforts are our employees who come into work every day, roll up their sleeves and take the initiative to find innovative ways to make our building, and the events we hold here, more eco-friendly.”
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), a state agency designated to oversee, manage and track the millions of tons of waste generated in California, administers the WRAP Award. The annual award recognizes businesses ranging from mom-and-pop shops to multi-million dollar corporations for their waste prevention programs and environmental stewardship. Last year, the SDCCC diverted more than 819 tons of materials from landfills, donated 42.5 tons of food to local charities and composted 150 tons of food waste.
Other significant environmental awards and achievements earned by the SDCCC last year include LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council as well as the Environmental Leadership Award from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) an organization that sets the standard when it comes to environmentally-sound business practices for the convention, meetings and events industry.
